Kenyans’ acts of heroism are the hallmark of Westgate terrorist raid
Dr Evans Kidero, the then-Nairobi governor, cuts the ribbon to mark the reopening of Westgate Mall on July 18, 2015. The mall had been closed after the September 21, 2013 terrorist attack.
What you need to know:
- Kenyans put their lives on the line and sacrificed their comfort to save their compatriots and foreigners who were caught up in the melee.
- These positive tales of heroism cannot be complete without the mention of one Abdul Yusuf Haji.
On this day exactly seven years ago, Somalia-based terrorist group Al-Shabaab staged one of its most daring attacks against a hitherto calm and peaceful country. The terrorists struck one of Nairobi’s most serene shopping malls at the most unexpected of times.
But in a classic manifestation of the saying “every dark cloud has a silver lining”, Kenyans’ response to the Westgate Mall terrorist attack almost overshadowed the loss from the heinous act.
Without being prompted, civilians joined security personnel in the rescue mission resulting in minimal casualties from the cowardly attack in Nairobi.
They put their lives on the line and sacrificed their comfort to save their compatriots and foreigners who were caught up in the melee.
These positive tales of heroism cannot be complete without the mention of one Abdul Yusuf Haji. On his own, Haji helped to save many people.
Saving a woman
The compassionate image of Haji saving a woman and her three daughters are edged in Kenyans’ minds. The photo, among others, made it to the front pages of leading newspapers across the world and are testimony that terrorism can be defeated.
On the eighth anniversary of the terror attack, survivors remain indebted to the selfless and daring efforts of their rescuers. They pray that the country will remain unbowed by the threats of terrorism and call on Kenyans to join the war against terrorism.
Such heroic gestures during the attack emboldened Kenyans to work closely with security agencies to fight terrorism through sharing information on suspicious individuals and activities in the country.
As Kenyans joined the counterterrorism effort, security agencies seem to have upped their game. The government facilitated acquisition of state-of-the-art security equipment, establishment of specialised counterterrorism units, recruitment of more security personnel and provision of advanced training both locally and internationally. Under the Multi-Agency Platform, they rolled out multipronged strategies to neutralise the terrorism threat within our borders.
The magic bullet, however, was the seamless inter-agency coordination and collaboration through sharing of intelligence and other information and resources to neutralise the threat of terrorism. In addition, a citizen-centred security approach which enables Kenyans to share information on terrorism with security agencies through grassroot structures, such as Nyumba Kumi initiative and community policing, was embraced.
Al-Shabaab insurgents
One such highly successful strategy is “Operation Linda Boni”, which flushed out Al-Shabaab insurgents from their Boni Forest hideout in Lamu County. This seems to have degraded the al-Qaeda-linked group, making it incapable of carrying out attacks in Kenya.
“Operation Linda Boni’” builds on successes of “Operation Linda Nchi”, Kenya’s military intervention in war-torn Somalia to fight Al-Shabaab. Kenya Defence Forces is a strong pillar of the African Union peacekeeping force Amisom. KDF is credited with capturing regions hitherto controlled by Al-Shabaab.
But nothing exemplifies Kenya’s triumph over terrorism than the return to normalcy of Westgate Mall within a short time. The leading shopping centre is bubbling with business activity like never before. This is a slap in the face for Al-Shabaab, which was hellbent on killing business in the high-end facility and tourism in general. Instead, the Westgate model has inspired the sprouting of shopping malls with booming businesses.
Kenyans’ magnanimous response to the September 21, 2013 attack and the shopping mall’s instantaneous resumption to business deflated Al-Shabaab. The terrorost group had touted the attack to be the zenith of its activities, especially following its controversial affiliation to the fading al-Qaeda.
With this spirit and resolve by Kenyans to volunteer as frontline soldiers in the anti-terrorism effort, the country will be free from terrorists. It is a price worth paying for posterity and in honour of victims of terrorism.
